History
of the Royal
Caledonian Society of MelbourneOur many thanks to the Society for
giving us permission to publish this book

Alastair,

At last night's meeting of the Council of the Royal Caledonian Society of
Melbourne, I was directed to advise you of the Council's approval of your
placing "Scots Wha Hae" on your website. Please proceed accordingly.

David S. Thomson
Honorary Secretary
November 08, 2006

THIS
book (by a well-known writer) the first detailed history of a Scottish
society in Australia, is not merely a narrative of the career of the
distinguished organization which it represents, but, as the Prime Minister
points out in his Preface, is also an informative and entertaining story.

Its basic purpose is to set
on record the national service rendered, since 1858, by the body now known
as the Royal Caledonian Society of Melbourne. It does that; and, in
addition, it tells many amusing tales while outlining the important
influence which Scots have had on Victoria as a whole.

More than that, there is a
Postscript in which is discussed in some little detail the part that
Caledonians have played in the building of Australia generally. It is a
striking statement, and, taken in conjunction with the body of the book,
it establishes the author's point that Australian Scots are justified in
doing a trifle of "blowing"-if only on the bagpipesl

ForewordBy The Right Honourable R. G.
Menzies, K.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Australia and President of The
Melbourne Scots

MY friend Alec Chisholm has
written a careful but entertaining history of the Royal Caledonian Society
of Melbourne. He now appeals to my pride by asking me to write a foreword.

My qualifications for
performing the task are sketchy. I am a Scot on my father's side. The
Melbourne Scots have done me the honour of making me their President. But
(and here's a serious subtraction), I have no Scots burr on my tongue, I
have not yet (oh, shame!) worn a kilt, and cricket commands my love much
more than tossing the caber. Why, then, this honour? The answer is simple.
We Scots have memory but no regrets; pride but no envy. In our modest way
we admit that J. M. Barrie was right when he said, in his Rectorial
address at St Andrews (where my paternal grandmother was born) that "We
come of a race of men the very wind of whose name has swept the ultimate
seas."

Many of the early
pastoralists of Victoria were Scots lowland farmers; Scots figured
importantly in the foundation of Melbourne's business. They have (as Mr
Chisholm shows) played a prominent part in politics, possibly out of
proportion to their actual numbers in the population. Why is this? As
witnesses, both Mr Chisholm and I may be found disqualified by bias. But,
if allowed to testify, I think we might say that there are two Scots
characteristics which endure, which the world values, and which mankind
needs.

One is a sense of
continuity. No great good is done by those who say, "Let us eat, drink,
and be merry, for tomorrow we die." But the man who feels pride in the
past and a sense of responsibility for the future, though he may be called
"dour", or "canny", or even-in Barrie's celebrated phrase-"a Scotsman on
the make", does much for development and growth and the stability of
society.

The second characteristic
is allied to the first. It is the spirit of independence. That spirit is
today in the twilight. We have learned to lean, to criticize, to expect,
to see our neighbour's duty much more clearly than our own. It is
impossible to believe that this is a permanent state of mind. But if and
when we come out of it, the sturdy independence of the sons and grandsons
of Caledonia will have played some part in the revival.

Canberra.
April 26th, 1950.

Electric Scotland Note:
We received an email from John Williamson to say...

Dear Alistair,

I recently published a
book about early Australian Rules football, titled "Football's Forgotten
Tour" (ISBN 0958101809). It was fully researched with all sources
tabulated. In ElectricScotland the Victorian Royal Caledonian
festivities held on the MCG in December 1861 are mentioned, together
with a copy of the Programme. On this Programme is mentioned a "FOOTBALL
MATCH, which as the article mentions was an Australian Rules game. (then
referred to as 'Victorian' Rules). According to the article the game
didn't take place, but the newspapers of the time have an account of the
game which was played between Melbourne and University and it featured
men who drew up the first rules for Australian football including two
masters of Scotch College.

What makes this game so
special is that the Caledonian Society donated a "HANDSOME SILVER CUP"
for the winner of the contest but as the match ended in a draw it was
played for as The Caledonian Challenge Cup for the next few years making
it not only the first Cup for Australian Rules football but the oldest
Championship trophy for any form of senior football anywhere in the
world.

It was contested by
Melbourne, University, Carlton, Royal Park, South Yarra and
Geelong until August 1864 when Geelong won it outright.

The earliest senior
competition for Rugby Football commenced in 1863 and the English
Football Association Cup was inaugurated in 1871.

After 1864 the Caledonian
Challenge Cup vanished from history, like so much of the faded and
forgotten memories of the early pioneering Scots in Australia.

Yours sincerely

John Williamson

Author's Note

THE statement was made in
1908, by a man who knew his subject, that the Caledonian Society of
Melbourne had "a history of which it might well be proud". It is believed
that the present book will strengthen that claim.

Begun in 1948 at the
request of the Council of the Royal Caledonian Society, the work has been
carried through with the aid of newspaper records, minute-books, the files
of the late Scot at Hame an' Abroad, and recollections of older members.
From those sources it has been possible to obtain a substantial body of
information, although, regrettably, a partial gap remains between the
formation of the original Society in 1858 and the reconstruction of 1884.

Necessarily, this History
is largely "domestic". In its broader aspects, however, it gives notes on
many public personalities of other days; and because of that, and because
it sketches the history of the Scottish Union and has references to
numerous kindred bodies, it may fairly be regarded as a worth-while
addition to the story of Victoria.

We do well to revive data
regarding men who built up our Society and whose names have become, in
many instances, either wholly or partly forgotten. Aside from the claims
of history (and history, of course, is the head-waters of civilization)
there is the consideration that we should give our predecessors the
justice which we ourselves would wish to receive. As an old Scot once
said, when his crony declined to attend a burial, "How can you expect folk
to go to your funeral if you won't go to theirs?"

But, of course, the history
of Melbourne's Caledonians is only one facet of the story of Scots in
Australia. That story as a whole is extremely impressive. It has never
been told in detail, possibly because Scots are (sometimes) unduly modest!
Accordingly, a summary of the subject is given as an addendum to this
book.

It is revealed in the
addendum that Australia today possesses nearly two hundred Scottish
societies and pipe bands (to say nothing of half a dozen statues of Robert
Burns), and several Scottish hospitals and kindred institutions as well.
It is revealed also that a mere score of Scottish-Australians have,
between them, given to this country cash and property to the value of
about £3,000,000.

In addition, it is shown
that, beginning with John Hunter (who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788
as Deputy Governor to Phillip ), Scots have figured very importantly in
exploration, vice-regal administration, politics, science, education,
medicine, law, literature, journalism, art and other activities in
Australia.

Not least important, it is
further shown that Australia is indebted to Scotland for her Queen of Song
(Dame Nellie Melba); and, by way of emphasis, for the man who wrote
"Advance Australia Fair" and the man who wrote "Waltzing Matilda".

Such a record, it will
surely be agreed, justifies Scottish-Australians in doing a trifle of
"blowing" - if only on the bagpipes!

Chapter III
Reconstruction in 1884 - Hon. James Munro's Explanation - "Caledonian
Society of Melbourne" - Hon. James MacBain as first President - "Brilliant
success" of first social - Governor attends St Andrew's Dinner - Twelve
toasts in one night - 394 members in first year - First sports meeting,
rent free - Protest against "anglicising".

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